Composition for coating concrete



Patented Mar. 21, 1944 COMPOSITION FOR COATING CONCRETE George W. Whitesides, Anchorage, Ky.

No Drawing. Original application June 1, 1942, Serial No. 445,525. Divided and this application September 11, 1943, Serial No. 502,059

3 Claims. (Cl. 106-269) however, are not completely satisfactory primarily because their costs are relatively high when used in the amounts necessary to produce satisfactory water retention efficiencies.

The principal object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive, highly efficient and effective coating composition or coating membrane for concrete.

I have discovered that a composition, composed of an insoluble metallic fatty-acid soap'in the form of a mechanical suspension as distinguished from a gel, a non-volatile hydrocarbon base or carrier of a bituminous character, and a suitable volatile hydrocarbon solvent for the base, has greatly improved water-proofing qualities, readily forms a thin, continuous, highly effective coating or membrane when applied to concrete, and provides a highly efficient and unusually effective water-repellent and water-impervious film for the concrete.

The coating may be sprayed, brushed or otherwise applied to the concrete. Since its effectiveness depends, to some extent, on the time of application, it preferably is applied as soon as possible after the concrete is poured and processed to finished form. When the concrete is quite wet, it is desirable to delay the application until the superficial water has subsided. Where, as in building constructions, the concrete is enclosed by forms, the coating may be applied to the forms before the concrete is poured and to the concrete immediately after the forms have been removed. The coating is effective immediately upon application and continues, as long as it adheres firmly to the concrete, to perform its protective functions eificiently and eiiectively. Its adhesive properties are such that it will remain intact long after the concrete has become permanently set unless removed or destroyed .by means other than the elements.

The water-insoluble, metallic, fatty-acid soaps are preferably, but not necessarily, taken from the aquaphobicgroup. Among the soaps satisfactory for use are zinc stearate, aluminum stearate, and any of the palmitates or oleates. A soap made from a technical grade of a fatty acid has been found highly satisfactory for mealthough it usually contains appreciable quantities of other soap.

The non-volatile hydrocarbon base or carrier is of a bituminous character. With a bituminous base, the resulting composition is dark in color. This dark type is highly recommended for use where temperature variations are not extreme and also where a highly effective protective coating is desired at minimum cost regardless of appearance.

Excellent results can be obtained with bituminous bases composed of asphalt pitch, coal-tar pitch, or fatty-acid pitch. Of these, asphalt and coal-tar pitches are preferred because they have a low saponiflcation number; hence they do not react with the constituents of the concrete.

The volatile solvent to be used will be any of the well-known materials capable of dissolving the hydrocarbon bases mentioned. For example, volatile hydrocarbon petroleum solvents, such as mineral spirits, or, coal-tar solvents, such as toluene, may be used.

In the preparation of anexemplary composi tion made according to my invention, a soap such as aluminum stearate is ground in a ball mill to the particle size which has been found to be best adapted for its mechanical mixture and/or suspension with the base and solvent and the least likely to form a gel at atmospheric temperature except after an infinitely long period'of time. A grinding mixture composed of 25% aluminum stearate and mineral spirits has been found entirely satisfactory. The bituminous material in a suitable solvent and the ground aluminum stearate are mixed in a. suitable mixer, such as the counter-current pump type, and sufficient solvent added to secure the final desired solvent content.

In the grinding operation and in the subsequent mixing of the solvent, the soap, and the base, it is important that predetermined conditions, particularly as to temperature, be maintained so that there is no tendency for the soap to gel. Such conditions must also be maintained prior to the actual application of the composition. A composition in which the soap is gelled does not form a base and an overlying layer of soap when applied to concrete and will not perform as efficiently as a composition made in accordance with this invention wherein the soap is not gelled but is incorporated as a mechanical mixture and/or suspension.

By keeping the temperature at all times below approximately 122 F. to F., and preferably.

below 113 F., gelling and undesirable solution of the aluminum stearate is prevented. As long as the soap is mechanically incorporated and maintained at a temperature below these temperatures, the greater portion thereof will remain, I believe, as a mechanical mixture or suspension and upon application to the concrete will form at the top of the film in overlying layers as hereinafter described. If the temperature of the soap is permitted to exceed these temperatures, gel formation proceeds to a degree dependent upon the time of exposure to the elevated temperature and the temperature itself, the increase lnviscosity, by reason of the gel formation, being a direct function of the time and temperature.

This is established by the following table which gives in column 1 the temperatures at which the viscosities of the various compositions mentioned in the other columns, were measured by the Engler method; in column 2, the viscosities at different temperatures of a composition made in accordance with my invention and containing alur'fnlnurn stearate incorporated mechanically; in column 3, the viscosities at different temperatures of a similar composition after it had been heated to 194 F. for one hour to insure the solution and gelation of the aluminum stearate; and

I in column 4, the viscosities at different temperatures of the same composition after it had been heated to 194 F. for one hour and then allowed to stand for 24 hours.

Viscosity [Engler time50 cc.)

Al. stearate Al. stearate Al, steal-ate heated to heated to 'lemperdispersed 194 F. 19 1 F.

ature by grinding for 1 hr. for 1 hr.

(viscosity) (immediate (viscosity 24 viscosity) hours later) 59 20. Solid Solid 68 19. 0 Solid Solid 86 16. 0 Semi-solid Solid 104 14. 5 Over 80 Semi-solid 122 14.5 63 Semi-solid 140 15. 5 49. 5 Over 80 158 17. 5 37. 5 52 176 21. 5 31. 5 37. 5 194 28. 0 28. 0 28. 0

It will be noted that in the temperature range.

between 122 F. and 140 F., the viscosity of my composition (column 2) increases with the temperature. Within a temperature range of 59 F. up beyond 104 F. but not above 122 F., the viscosity curve of my composition can be reversed. Above that range, the aluminum stearate begins togel and the viscosity curve assumes a different path for each dilierent degree of gelation. Where the compositions are first heated to 194 F. (columns 3 and 4) the formation of gel to a marked moisture loss under identical conditions except for the omission of the soap ingredient from the composition; and column 4 notes the gain in efficiency due to the addition of the soap, the efficlency gain being calculated on the assumption that each figure in column 3, for the soapless composition, represents zero emciency.

Moisture loss 5%,," x cement pats at 125 F.

Gum No. days solutiongf 'f 'gg Increased as aluminum stin 8 t6 stearate I Grzaqu G'ra 2 Pc&e1u

5. 3 7. 9 17. 4 55 6 l5. 2 31. 8 52 ll 2]. 7 43. 5 46 14 29. 8 47. 8 38 I forth the comparative results on standard conaluminum stearate; column 3 notes the highercrete pats. In this table: column 1 lists the days on which the observations were made: column 2, the moisture loss in grams through a single coating containing dispersed aluminum stearate; colum 3; the moisture loss in grams through a single coating containing gelled aluminum stearate; and column 4 the percentage gain in efficiency of my "dispersed composition over the gelled composition, the assumed efiiciency of the latter being zero.

Again it will be noted that the increased efllciency of the dispersed aluminum stearate is as high as 67% when it is most desirable, i. e., during the early stage of the setting of the concrete.

I have found that my composition is extremely eflicientand effective even when only one thin coating or film is employed. While the precise reason for its remarkable effectiveness is not clearly understood, it is believed that the nonvolatile hydrocarbon base, when dissolved by the solvent, acts as 9. carrier for the soap, which remains substantially undissolved. When applied, a good proportion, if not all of the soap, is believed to float to the top of the base or carrier forming a film thereover, consisting of a number of soap layers. The base solidifies upon the evaporation of the solvent, leaving the concrete protected first by the base or carrier, and second by the overlying and, possibly, dispersed particles of soap. The base, unquestionably, acts as a water-proofing or water-retaining agent but not necessarily as a highly efficient one. The soap is believed to act as a more efficient water-proofing or water-retaining and water-repellent agency. As a result, it is believed that the base restricts the passage of water from the concrete to the overlying soap layers, while the soap layers more effectively restrict the passage to atmosphere of such water as may pass through the base.

To illustrate suitable compositions made in accordance with this invention, the following examples, wherein the proportions are by weight, are given:

Example 1-Bituminous base Parts Solid asphalt or coal-tar pitch 50 Mineral spirits or toluene 50 Aluminum stearate or zinc stearate 3 It will be readily appreciated that the relative amounts of base and solvent will depend upon the consistency desired in the composition. Ordinarily, equal parts of both will give excellent results. The soap content of the composition, however, should not exceed substantially more than 5% of the composition as a whole because above 5%, the results are not materially improved in proportion to the increased cost. Preferably, more than 1% of soap should be used since approximately that amount is believed to go into solution when mixed with the other ingredients, despite th manner in which it is mixed.

The effectiveness of my composition may be demonstrated by comparison with. other compositions presently available on the market. Darktype compositions available heretofore and proposed herein have relative water-proofing efliciencies of 69% and 91%.

This application is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 445,525, filed June 1, 1942, which is a continuation-in-part of my application, Serial No. 264,491, filed March 27, 1939, for Method of and composition for coating concrete.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A coating composition for curing freshly placed concrete comprising: a non-volatile, water repellent, film-forming base selected from a bituminous group consisting of asphalt pitch, coal-tar pitch, and fatty-acid pitch; a volatile hydrocarbon solvent for the base; and a mechanically-dispersed, water-insoluble, water-repellent, metallic, fatty-acid soap, the quantity of soap being sufficient to form, when the coating is applied and the solvent evaporated, a layer oi undissolved soap overlying the base.

2. A coating composition adapted to be spread in the form of a relatively thin film over freshly placed concrete as a curing membrane comprising: a, non-volatile, water-repellent, film-forming base selected from a bituminous group consisting of asphalt, coal-tar, and fatty-acid .pitches; a volatile solvent for the base; and a substantially water-insoluble, water-repellent, metallic fatty-acid soap mechanically mixed with the solvent and base in the form of a mechanical dispersion.

3. A coating composition adapted to be spread in the form of a relatively thin film over freshly placed concrete as a curing membrane, comprising: a non-volatile, water-repellent, film-formmg base selected from a bituminous group con sisting of asphalt, coal-tar, and fatty-acid pitches; a. volatile solvent for the base; and a substantially water-insoluble, water-repellent, metallic fatty-acid swap mixed with the solvent and base in the form of a mechanical dispersion and in an amount of between 1% and 5%.

GEORGE w. WHITESIDES. 

